Senpai Matt grew up training in Te Awamutu but has also been a member of both Dunedin Seido under Jun Shihan Kelvin Lewis & Seido Shibu (Christchurch) under Hanshi Renzie Hanham. Senpai Matt has trained in Australia, most Seido Dojos in New Zealand & in New York under Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura in Johshin Honzan & Honbu.

In 2012, Senpai Matt graded to Shodan in Te Awamutu under Sei Shihan Ben Otang. In 2017, he graded to Nidan (2nd Dan) in Timaru. While living in Wanaka for 3 years, Matt trained in Kyokushin where he graded to Green Belt under Sensei Trevor Bailey.

Senpai Matt has entered various Seido tournaments, picking up medals in semi contact sparring, points sparring and kata. He also fought in a Kyokushin full contact knockdown tournament in Dunedin in 2016.